Six Degrees of Separation
by Napoli Corleone
Summary: A theory posits that, "Every one and every thing is connected." In Lovino's case, he was infatuated with an Antonio Fernandez Carriedo who was Bella's ex, a close friend of Liz, on/off girlfriend of Gilbert, brother of Ludwig who is dating Feliciano, Lovino's brother. A perfect six degrees of separation.
1. Introduction

**SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION**

 **INTRODUCTION**

Classes ended late for Lovino Vargas. He was supposed to meet with his brother, Feliciano, an hour ago in McDonald's. He groaned while walking to the popular fast food chain. He couldn't understand why the idiot's new obsession was such a tasteless place. The coffee was shit, the food was greasy, everything was sub-par. He would rather make his own coffee and food than eat in such a tasteless place. He needed to emphasize that McDonald's was a _tasteless place_.

The university was only a ten-minute walk from the bustling downtown. Before he could even push the glass doors, the idiotic grin and waving of his brother caught Lovino's attention. A waft of freshly fried fries and noisy chatter greeted Lovino. He groaned for the nth time since he left the university. While walking to where Feliciano was seated, he noticed another idiot with the same cheerfully idiotic smile beside him.

"Hi," Idiot number two greeted Lovino.

"Uh, yeah, hi," Lovino nonchalantly replied.

"Lovino, this is Antonio, he's my classmate in my fine arts class. Antonio, my older brother, Lovino," Feliciano introduced them to each other.

"You could have messaged or called me," Lovino grumbled, which Feliciano ignored and proceeded, "We need help with our final project. Our teacher wants us to create a design for a sub-urban house."

"Okay; you can definitely do that," Lovino sound unimpressed.

"But," Feliciano whined. "We need a draft and a model for it."

"So you want me to do your project for you?!" Lovino crossed his arm.

"No, no," Feliciano immediately replied. "We already have a design and draft but we don't know how to make the model."

"Your project is demanding just for a minor subject," The older sighed. "Give me the draft and I'll see what I can do."

Antonio handed a rolled paper to him. For a brief moment, when their hands brushed each other, Lovino felt a static sensation. He paid no mind and busied himself with the draft of their design. He didn't want to get distracted with the person sitting in front of him. He hated admitting that Antonio was a good looking person.

"I can't do everything by myself. I have a plate due next week..." Lovino mulled. He handed back the paper to Antonio. Then, again, that static sensation. _Fuck,_ Lovino inwardly cursed. _Maybe it's just because of the air conditioning,_ his mind rationalized. _I think that this is static electricity... yeah, this is the science of that fucking tingling sensation._

"We can drop by at your house this Friday," Feliciano chimed.

"Hm, okay," Lovino was lost in thought for a second before he continued. "Bring the materials you need and your own food."

"Deal!" Feliciano beamed.

There a short silence between the three of them before Antonio asked, "You two don't live together?"

"No," Lovino replied curtly. "Feliciano lives in the campus dorm and I don't."

"Lovino has his own place," Feliciano expounded.

"Oh," Antonio said in amazement. Lovino couldn't help rolling his eyes. Then, he stood up, "It was nice meeting you. I need to go now."

"Message me if you get home Vino," Feliciano said which Lovino replied with a nod.

His younger brother was fussier than their grandfather. Due to familial circumstances, they grew up separate from each other. It was only recently when they began communicating again. Feliciano took the extra mile by attending the same university as him.

The drive home was peaceful. The streets were devoid of any vehicle. It was understandable since it was already ten in the evening. In this quaint university town, establishments close at eight and by nine, there's barely any soul outside the downtown area. The exception were Fridays and Saturdays; people magically appear and party all night long.

"You're home late Lovino," The elder Vargas opened the door.

"Yeah... I met with Feliciano," Lovino replied curtly.

"I see. How is he?"

"Fine, I think. He'll be coming over this Friday, along with a classmate,"

"Ah, well, tell him I give my regards. I need to be in Florence on Thursday. I'll be gone for two weeks,"

"Okay,"

Lovino went to his room and changed his clothes. He had a lot to do but his body and mind were tired. As he lay on his bed, he looked back on his childhood. It wasn't dramatic; but it wasn't happy either. After his parents divorced, his mother remarried. Lovino was left in the care of his father and grandfather. His father worked as an engineer in the Middle East while his grandfather was a retired _tenente generale_ or lieutenant general. From then until now, the elder Vargas single-handedly reared the temperamental Lovino.

He was always scolded by his grandfather for being uncouth, lousy with the house chores, among other things; the list of his flaws was endless. After Lovino graduated high school, the scoldings lessened. Lovino learned his lesson ( _sort-of_ ) after fifteen long years under his grandfather's watch. He was careful with his language and he cleans the mess he makes in the shed. His bedroom is also spic and span; most of the time. He was definitely a better version of his adolescent self.

The young man was about to sleep when his phone rang.

" _Who the fuck calls in the middle of the night?!"_ Lovino murmured as he picked the call.

" _Lovino, are you home?"_ Feliciano's voice sounded worried.

"Yes Mother. I'm about to sleep," Lovino replied dismissively. He forgot to text Feliciano; the idiot was a worry-wart.

" _Mm, 'kay. See you on Friday,"_

Come Friday, Lovino woke up nervously. He called the housekeeper to prepare the house today. It was his first time having a guest _(who was not Feliciano)_ over. The cupboards and fridge had food; and his grandfather just bought coffee beans... Lovino mentally punched himself. He was over thinking; he didn't have to make a good impression.

Once the housekeeper arrived, Lovino left for school. He sent a text to Feliciano telling him they should meet at the Cathedral. It was the first Friday of the month and he was going to Church after his classes finished in the afternoon. Despite his demeanor and mean-streak, he was a devout Catholic and attended Mass regularly. Setting aside his religious beliefs and convictions, his eyes darted to a familiar figure. Hastily, Lovino parked his car; he didn't want to be cornered by _potato bastard number two._ Lovino dashed to the student center and hid inside the CR for five-full minutes before he made his way to his college's building.

Potato Bastard Number Two was the brother of Feliciano's current boyfriend. The bastard had the habit of teasing him and Lovino didn't enjoy being at the end of someone's joke. However, if Liz, Gilbert's girlfriend was around, Gilbert had a different persona; he acted like he was some saint.

Lovino arrived at his class in nick of time. The rest of the day was a lull; during the last class, Lovino immediately dashed outside and headed to the parking lot. He felt energy surge through his body. During Gospel, Feliciano and Antonio sat on either side Lovino. Lovino tried to hide his excitement; if they would be singing _Our Father_ , he would be holding Antonio's hand.

 _Dear God, I am sorry for mind wandering... to thoughts other than Mass._

As Lovino anticipated, they did hold hands for the duration of the song. Once the ecclesiastical ceremony was over, the trio went to Lovino's home. The young man was thankful that the idiots in his passenger seat were talking nonsensical shit. Being out of the conversation allowed him to concentrate on the road.

By the time they arrived in the Vargas home, Lovino has calmed down. He led his guests to the kitchen and served them refreshments. The topic of the conversation then shifted to the impending assignment. Lovino discussed his ideas and he was happy that the idiots weren't that much of idiots when they started working. Feliciano and Antonio decided to sleep over to finish the project. With the three of them working harmoniously, they were able to finish the overall layout of the project.

"Congrats," Lovino tried to hide his joy. He didn't help with the construction; all he did was instruct the two on what and how to achieve their vision.

"Thank you for helping us Lovino!" Antonio beamed and hugged the architecture student.

"Fu-Damn it! Let go of me," Lovino struggled half-heartedly; he needed to be out of this man's grasp because, because, Antonio might notice how his heart was beating erratically.

"We should celebrate this Friday Lovino. We couldn't have done this without your help," Feliciano joined the hug. At this point, Lovino surrendered himself to the group hug. He also grumbled his agreement that was enthusiastically met by Feliciano and Antonio.

* * *

 **To be continued**

 **A/N:** Hello! Thank you for reading this chapter! I hope that you enjoyed reading this. Have a great day ahead.


	2. Group Date

**GROUP DATE**

Friday or FREE-YAY or FLY-DAY was the favorite day of ANY student. It was a night of relaxation, debauchery; a night where anything happens. It was the prelude to the weekends. Today was also the day agreed by Lovino, Feliciano, and Antonio to eat dinner together.

Lovino changed his clothes at least three times; he wanted to make sure he looked impeccable. He always looked his best but today was special compared to other days. The older Vargas had two hours left until he was supposed to meet Feliciano and Antonio. It was plenty of time to find an appropriate outfit. The young man decided to settle for a pink polo with jeans and black sneakers. He hoped to give off a smart-casual vibe. He decided to use a silver watch to complete the get-up.

Lovino gave himself a nod of approval with how he looked. When he looked at the time, he had an hour left. He didn't have anything to do; and there was no harm in going ahead of time. It wasn't as if he was excited to meet the two idiots.

It was a blessing that Lovino left early since the traffic was heavy. Thirty minutes later, he arrived at _Acacia_ \- a tree-house themed bistro. Even if it was still seven, the place was getting crowded. Lovino walked to the second floor and saw Feliciano and Ludwig, being lovey-dovey. To be precise, they were just sitting beside each other but Lovino could feel the couple's oozing their own brand of public display of affection. He sat himself across the couple. Feliciano gave him a warm greeting while Ludwig gave a curt one. The two balanced each other's characteristics very well.

Lovino wasn't interested with the inane chatter of his idiot brother and his macho boyfriend. He was bored and decided to while away the time through browsing his Facebook news feed until the next person would arrive. Three minutes later, Lovino felt a warm body sitting beside him. The young man wasn't timing anyone; he was just bored and he kept looking at the digital clock in the upper right side of the screen.

In his peripheral, he caught _that brown hair and goofy smile_ which belonged to Antonio Fernandez Carriedo. His heart was starting to beat like crazy; Lovino tried to rationalize with himself but it was futile. Thankfully, a waiter came and took their orders. It helped him get his mind off of the _bastardly handsome Spaniard,_ rather, _idiot bastard_ sitting so close to him.

Their orders consisted mostly of group meals, four pizzas, and several other finger food. The first menu for their cocktail/liquor was a pitcher of screwdriver. Lovino personally recommended the mix since it had the right amount of sweetness with a distinct taste of liquor.

At this point, Lovino and Ludwig only talked if they were addressed since Feliciano and Antonio were engaged in an animated conversation which neither two could catch-up with. Lovino decided to busy himself again with his phone but someone pinched his cheeks, followed by a sinister _kesesese_ and remark, "Still the chubby cheeks Vino?"

" _Fuck off Gilbert!"_ Lovino tried to say but the words were garbled. Why the fuck was Gilbert Beilschmidt with them? He hated this son of a bitch; the motherfucker annoyed the hell out of him.

"Gilbert!" A stern voice called out. Relief washed over Lovino; thank God Elizaveta, Gilbert's on/off girlfriend, was also here. "Stop that! You're hurting Lovino."

"Yeah, yeah," Gilbert replied.

The newly arrived couple sat at the head of the table. Lovino reiterated what they ordered earlier and asked whether they had something they wanted to add. Gilbert and Liz were satisfied with the food choices. While waiting for their cocktail to arrive, the eight-seater table was lively. Each side of the rectangular table had two chairs; and coincidentally, the couples were seated side-by-side. The exceptions were Lovino Vargas and Antonio Fernandez Carriedo since they were not a couple. It was hard to tell who was talking with who since all of the young adults were talking at the same time. When the pitcher arrived, there was an eruption of glee. After taking a sip, everyone was satisfied with the drink. The food then arrived and the drink was set aside for now.

Along the train of conversations, Lovino found out that Gilbert and Antonio used to go to the same elementary school. The older Vargas couldn't help but react how small the world was. Liz also agreed to the statement. Elizaveta and Gilbert were an on/off couple since freshman year of college, while Ludwig is Gilbert's brother, who started dating Feliciano a year ago. Around the same time, Liz and Lovino knew each other. Among the six of them, the people who only knew each other recently were Lovino and Antonio.

The group left Acacia several minutes past midnight. Their stomachs were full and slightly inebriated from drinking several pitchers of different cocktails. The group only walked together until the parking space. Elizaveta and Gilbert went home together since they lived in the same apartment complex while Lovino offered a ride and his house to others. It would be troublesome for Feliciano, Ludwig, and Antonio to return to the dorms at this hour. Antonio sat in the front while Feliciano and Ludwig sat in the back. The drive to the Vargas house was silent; EDM music blasted through the speakers. Feliciano was leaning on Ludwig's shoulder while the German macho potato leaned on Feliciano's head.

Lovino kept his eyes on the road; he was tipsy and he must stay focused or else, they were going to get into an accident. He knew drunk driving is wrong but they couldn't stay in Acacia until they sober up. Also, he didn't trust anyone with his Maserati. God, he worked hard to earn this baby; he wouldn't let anyone else drive it.

"Hey, your car... you changed your car," Antonio murmured.

"This is mine; the BMW was my Grandpa's. He's out of town and using it," Lovino explained. In the corner of his eye, he saw Antonio nod.

Once they left downtown area and traveled to the south national highway, the roads were quiet. Lovino stepped on the accelerator and in less than ten minutes, they safely arrived. Lovino thanked the Heavens for not getting into any kind of trouble. After opening the door and turning on the lights, Lovino led Ludwig and Feliciano to his room. It had a double deck, in case Feliciano would stay over. Lovino walked out and saw Antonio locking the door and made himself comfortable in the living room. The two locked eyes before Antonio let out a goofy grin.

" _Mi casa es su casa,"_

"Idiot. I'm supposed to be the one saying that,"

Lovino's heart fluttered when the other man let out a guttural laugh. He then cleared his throat before speaking again, "You'll sleep in Dad's room. I'll take the couch."

"No," Antonio replied firmly. "This is your house Lovino. You should be able to sleep comfortably."

"Okay," Lovino shrugged. "Just knock on the door if you need something."

"But I'm not yet sleepy," The Spaniard whined. "Let's talk."

"About what? We're talking right now,"

"I mean something else; about our selves. Everybody knew each other at the table except for us," Antonio moved to the couch's edge and signaled Lovino to sit beside him. The Italian complied and leaned on the side. Both of them were facing each other, their knees touching and only arm's away from one another.

"What do you want to know? I'm Felice's older brother. Our parents divorced when I was three... I've been living with my father and Grandfather. Grandpa's a retired soldier while Papa's working overseas," Lovino spoke nonchalantly.

"Oh, um, I didn't know," Antonio tried to apologize but Lovino stopped him.

"It's okay, really. The old man and Papa did a great job raising me, considering I am a problem child,"

"That's good to hear... well, my life's kinda boring. My parents are farmers and it's my aunt who's paying for my school expenses,"

"... I agree, that's kinda boring," Lovino chuckled.

"Hm, and, I just broke up with Bella," Antonio added.

Suddenly, Lovino jolt awake. He suddenly sobered up. Oh God, he was in love with a straight man.

"Anyway, thank you for letting us stay here," Antonio grinner and hugged Lovino. "You really are a good person."

"Yeah, yeah. As if I can let you idiots rot in front of the campus's gate," Lovino sarcastically said. "Go to sleep idiot. I'm sleepy already."

Lovino didn't waste any second and walked inside his father's room. He didn't bother turning on the light. He plopped himself to bed. He lied about feeling sleepy; he was damn wide awake. Aside from the fact that Antonio Fernandez Carriedo was straight as an arrow, he knew who Bella was. At some point, Lovino did have a crush on Bella because she was beautiful and kind and cheerful, among many other virtues he admired. However, he moved on from that crush and his affections became platonic. The two of them were once classmates and they got along very well.

"What a cruel world," Lovino murmured before he closed his eyes.

Five hours later, Lovino woke-up. He was still groggy but he forced himself to go out of the bed. When he went to his room to get a change of clothes; as he expected, the lovey-dovey couple were fast asleep. Feliciano was sleeping in the lower deck ( _Lovino's spot_ ) while Ludwig slept above. Lovino then took a shower, changed and went to the kitchen. He may have an uncouth mouth but he prides himself as a good host. He wasn't going to starve these people in his house. He brewed himself coffee while waiting for the pans to heat up. If he was alone, breakfast was simple - latte and bread but he was not alone which makes breakfast not simple. He wasn't sure what Ludwig and Antonio preferred, so he was cooking eggs, ham, and bacon. These were safe choices.

The house guests were awake by seven; just after Lovino finished setting up the table. When Feliciano, Antonio, and Ludwig entered the kitchen, Lovino tried to stifle his laughter. The idiots and macho bastard didn't wash their faces yet.

Preparing for breakfast was a hassle but Lovino realized that eating a meal with people made the preparation worth the effort.

* * *

 **TO BE CONTINUED**

 **A/N:** Thank you so much for the reviews, follows, and favorite.


	3. Table for two

**TABLE FOR TWO**

Lovino Vargas was a religious man. He diligently goes to church during Sundays, with his family or alone. Lately, he was going alone since his grandfather is traveling a lot. Sometimes, Feliciano would accompany him. Lovino always thought that it was weird for Feliciano to accompany him to mass. His younger brother didn't have strong religious convictions. This matter wasn't for him to judge, so the older Vargas didn't dwell on the issue.

Last night, Lovino received a phone call from Feliciano that he would attend mass together with him. Lovino tried to his his irritation for woken up at one in the morning but he failed. This didn't faze Feliciano's chirpy replies.

" _You could have left a text message idiot... waking me up in an unholy hour,"_ Lovino muttered.

" _See you tomorrow Lovino,"_ Feliciano cheerfully said before ending the call.

The older brother sighed and went back to sleep. He had a hectic week; final examinations were coming up and he needed to read shit ton of references for the written tests. Damn it! He was finished with the other course requirements such as plates, drafts and proposals... but he hasn't flipped any of his textbooks. Lovino was more hands-on kind of student, thus, he always finished his semester-long projects ahead of time. The end-products would surely earn him a grade of 4.0 but studying wasn't his forte. He was cursing the amount of reading he had to do before he fell back to sleep.

Several hours later, Lovino felt refreshed.

It was a fine Sunday morning; the weather was good and he woke-up two minutes before his alarm usually goes off. After washing his face, he went to the kitchen and was surprised to see his grandfather eating breakfast. The table was set for two and Lovino's coffee and bread were ready to be consumed.

"Hurry Vino; your coffee and bread will get cold," The elder Vargas motioned Lovino to be seated.

After he said a short prayer, Lovino began eating.

Breakfast was usually a quiet affair between the two of them. They would exchange words in between sipping their respective coffees and biting a piece of their bread. Before, it wasn't be like this. When Lovino was younger, around the time his parents divorced, he always threw a tantrum from being woken up to eat breakfast. At first, his grandfather was patient but that patience was very thin. The old mans started a disciplinarian parenting style. It took a long time for Lovino to assimilate into his new life. He didn't enjoy reminiscing those years; those years are now water under the bridge.

"Will you go to mass with me?"

"No. I'll be leaving for London in the afternoon. The house will be in your care,"

"Of course,"

Lovino cleans the table and washes the dishes. He then prepares himself for church. He opted a maroon long-sleeve with slacks and brown loafers. He looked impeccable, as always. Before he goes to church, he drives his grandfather to the airport. The old man wanted to go early because he had several calls to make before his flight. When he arrived at the Cathedral, Lovino was barely on time.

He was looking around for Feliciano. Their usual pew was the row near the door on the left side of the altar. However, there was no sign of a Feliciano Vargas. Instead, there was Antonio Fernandez Carriedo, intently looking at him. The Spaniard grinned and mouthed at Lovino to sit beside where he was. Without making a fuss, Lovino made his way to where Antonio was.

"Hey, I hope you don't mind me joining you in mass,"

"Idiot; this is for everyone. Why should I mind?"

Lovino tried to even his voice. This is the second time they would be attending mass together. Lovino rationalized that he would be calmer this time around; that his mind would be focused to this Sunday's Gospel and Homily. He was wrong. The young man was like an adolescent experiencing first love. He was conscious with the man seated beside him. Every fiber of his being was anticipating the communion rite, specifically the singing of the Lord's Prayer.

At that juncture of the mass, Lovino felt the same ecstasy during the first time he held hands with Antonio. Once the song was finished and they let go hands, Lovino could still feel the lingering warmth from Antonio's hand. The rest of the hour passed by quickly; after the end of mass, the duo decided to light candles at the Cathedral's entrance.

"..." Lovino was unsure how to start a conversation with Antonio. He glanced his watch and it was 11:15 AM, almost time for lunch. "Hey, so, um, do you have somewhere to go after?"

Lovino felt that he asked a stupid question.

"I don't have any plans today... Let's eat lunch together! There's a restaurant across the university that I've always wanted to try,"

' _Thank you God for this day and for Antonio being dense and idiot,'_ Lovino thought as he agreed to the suggestion.

At the restaurant, both men simultaneously opened their phones. They received a message from Feliciano, apologizing for his absence. Apparently, his fever worsened. Each men gave their reply.

 _Idiot, get well soon. I'm sure macho potato is with you; listen to what he says so that you'll get better._

A waitress then approached them and gave them the menu. Lovino was and wasn't familiar with some of the dishes. The cuisines were mostly Asian - Israel, Japan, Indian, Thai, Philippines, among many others. There were also continental European food. Lovino took his time with his order unlike Antonio who was quick with his choices. A full ten minutes passed before Lovino gave his order - he decided on a combination of Asian appetizer and European main dish.

"The project you helped us," Antonio spoke. "It received praise from the professor."

"Oh, congrats," Lovino replied. He raised an eyebrow to the man seated across him. He was confused why Antonio was talking to him in a hoarse voice.

"Sore throat," Antonio said.

The two words explained the raspy voice.

Again, silence between them. Lovino was expecting Antonio to be the talkative one; every time they hang out, he was always engaged in a conversation with Feliciano. Feliciano was absent and the Spaniard has sore throat; Lovino was never a conversationalist; mixing the circumstances together, the silence wasn't surprising. However, it was unsettling. There was a buzz between them; unspoken words were waiting to be spoken.

"Did you already go to the doctor?" Lovino tried to converse.

" _Not yet. I'll go to the university clinic tomorrow,"_ Antonio replied and he smiled.

"Good," Lovino wanted to quip, " _You're such an idiot for waiting to go until it worsened."_

"Anyway," Antonio changed the subject. "Will you visit Feliciano today?"

"No," Lovino firmly replied. "I'll go tomorrow; I don't want to disturb his time with macho potato. Also, I have prior commitments today."

Lovino saw how Antonio laughed at the mention of macho potato. He wasn't against Feliciano's relationship with Ludwig. As he hated to admit it, Ludwig was a good person. Also, Lovino didn't have any obligation to be watchful over the couple.

"Where are you going after lunch?" Antonio inquired.

"There are things that I need to buy," Lovino replied.

"Can I go with you?" Antonio asked with pleading eyes.

"Oh... sure. You can do what you want," Lovino deflected his joy by sounding unconcerned.

Thankfully, the conversation stopped. Their food arrived and the duo remained quiet until they billed out. Lovino felt conscious while he walked to the parking lot. Antonio was tailing behind him and he was unsure if he was walking properly. The walk wasn't long and the drive to a local department store was short.

Cold air blasted the duo when they entered the store. Lovino lived in this university town since birth but he could never get used to the weird air conditioning system. At the entrance and exit, there were overhead air conditioners which blasts cold air.

Lovino walked to the school and office supplies section. He needed to restock on his supplies. While he was picking items, Antonio was walking beside him. The Spaniard was asking random questions; very random as fuck questions. It was a bittersweet plus-minus thirty minutes for Lovino. He sighed in relief when he was at the counter, ready to pay his purchases. They then walked out of the store and headed to a coffee shop. They opted for a table for two situated at the corner of shop.

"What would you like? My treat," Lovino offered.

"Oh, um, well," Antonio looked pensive as he read the menu. "Churros con chocolate and um, brewed coffee."

"Brewed coffee for me,"

"I'll repeat your orders sirs; two brewed coffee and one churros con tsokolate," the waiter said.

Lovino nodded and returned the menu handed to them. It was too early for snacks but Lovino paid no mind to the time.

"Lovino," Antonio whispered.

The Italian was bothered by the low voice. He also quietly replied, "Yes? What the fuck is wrong?"

"I've been meaning to ask... are you in a relationship right now?"

"Huh?!" Lovino couldn't help raising his voice. "Where is this coming from?"

"I mean, you could be spending time with your girlfriend right now instead with me," Antonio elaborated.

"My relationship is nobody's business, bastard," Lovino added the insult to make sure that the idiot would drop the topic. However, he was wrong. They continued talking about his love life, to be precise, the lack thereof.

"I'm really, really, happy to be with you at the moment, but," The Spaniard looked directly into Lovino's eyes. "I'm not sure if you are."

"You. Are. An. IDIOT." Lovino punctuated every word he said. "If I hated spending my time with you, I wouldn't even pay for the food. Good Lord."

"I'm relieved," Antonio relaxed and smiled.

"Anyway, speaking of relationships," Lovino carefully said. "Are you in one?"

"Well, no. I don't have the courage to get into one right now," Antonio's smile disappeared and he cast his eyes downward. "I do have someone I like but I'm not sure if the person likes me back. I'm just happy to see that person in campus."

"Oh... I didn't peg you for a romanticist," Lovino laughed. It was his way to hide the dejection he felt right now.

When he drank the coffee served, the bitterness matched his emotions.

* * *

 **To be continued on November 2016**

 **A/N:** I am grateful to the people who read, reviewed, alert, favorite this story. I'm giving a heads up to everyone that I can't continue with the weekly updates because I will be having final examinations this week and next. Then I will be traveling after exams. It's a jam packed month. huhuhu. Rest assured, I will finish this. The outline of the entire story is finished. I just need to encode. Please stay tuned. :)


	4. One bottle of tequila

**ONE BOTTLE OF TEQUILA**

Antonio was thankful for the companionship Lovino gave him. At first, he was taken aback by the Lovino's fiesty nature. It contrasted to Feliciano's calm and gentle demeanor. Back then, he thought he was hated by the older Vargas. It took quite some time getting used to Lovino's vulgar speech and rude behavior. Once he was acclimated, he realized that the Italian meant well and was just terrible with properly expressing himself. He found this very cute. From then on, Antonio Fernandez Carriedo looked forward to the time he spends with Lovino Vargas. To be precise, they have only had two meetings but even so, Antonio felt delight every time he was with Lovino.

' _Maybe I'm gay?_ ' Antonio thought as he took side glances from his seat mate. His mind was filled with thoughts of Lovino.

In an odd turn of events, Antonio, Lovino, Elizaveta, Gilbert, Feliciano and Ludwig were having dinner. The table was very lively; before Gil and Liz arrived, Antonio was engaged in random conversations with Feliciano. Deep inside, he was thankful to God for being grouped together with the younger Vargas. If it wasn't for that project, he wouldn't have met Lovino. In between his conversations, he wanted to engage Lovino in a conversation but he was busy talking with Elizaveta. He didn't want to cause a scene; since his break up with Bella, there was bad blood between two of them. Antonio decided to give his attention elsewhere at the moment. A right time will come when he can properly converse with Lovino.

The night went on and the liquor rose to Antonio's head. He was getting tipsy. He lost count of the cocktail pitchers they have ordered, coupled with several bottles of beer and one bottle of tequila. Antonio was amazed at how Lovino still looked fine. Thus, the Italian ended up driving them to the Vargas house. He was grateful for the liquor because it became easy to talk to Lovino. His inhibitions were thrown out of the window.

" _Mi casa es su casa," Antonio muttered with a grin._

" _Idiot. I'm supposed to be the one saying that," Lovino said, blushing._

Antonio was unsure if his host was red because of the liquor or by embarrassment. His sense of judgment was clouded but he still had some control over his speech and actions. Alcohol does make one do stupid things. Unconsciously, he let out a guttural laugh.

Their time together was extended, upon Antonio's insistence. Antonio talked a bit about himself. His life wasn't exciting; it was boring. His parents couldn't shoulder the hefty amount needed for him to finish his studies. They would be drowning in debt by the time he would graduate. A benevolent aunt decided to shoulder the expenses.

" _Anyway, thank you for letting us stay here," Antonio grinne_ _d_ _and hugged Lovino. "You really are a good person."_

" _Yeah, yeah. As if I can let you idiots rot in front of the campus's gate," Lovino sarcastically said. "Go to sleep idiot. I'm sleepy already."_

Antonio bid the other man good night.

The days passed by in a lull for the Spaniard. He went to classes, passed his assignments, attended meetings of his college's organization, and went to church together with the Vargas brothers.

Antonio never considered himself as a religious man. He only attended masses because he felt a sense of obligation to do so and he didn't want to make a fuss with his parents who were deeply religious. As of the late, he started to look forward to Sundays because he would be seeing Lovino. He inwardly rejoiced when Feliciano couldn't join them for Mass. It was mean to be happy at the expense of others since the younger Vargas was suffering from a fever. However, Antonio wanted to have time alone with Lovino. He didn't have the nerve to ask the other man out because he never had any legitimate reason to do so. They weren't particularly close, yet, but Antonio felt a certain _click_ with Lovino. Contrary to everyone's perception that Lovino was a grumpy, Antonio found him very fun to be with.

They spent that Sunday together. It wasn't the joyous of occasions since Antonio was suffering from a sore throat. It took effort to speak but he does his best anyhow. By the end of the day, he felt tired but satisfied. He felt nervous when Lovino asked if he had someone he liked. Antonio wasn't sure if he did like Lovino, so he gave a vague reply. If he would confess his feelings, he wanted to be sure about them.

As the semester drew to a close, Antonio was busy with his requirements. He didn't keep in touch with his friends outside of his college. When it was the last day of class, he couldn't help screaming his happiness. His classmates laughed then they congratulated each other on staying alive after the hellish week.

Unexpectedly, Antonio met Lovino in the cafeteria. As always, the Italian furrowed his brows; he always looked grumpy, it was such a waste of a handsome face.

Antonio took a sharp breath. He never expected himself to be physically attracted to another man. Lately, he wondered about his sexuality – maybe he was gay? Or, maybe he was only attracted to Lovino? For now, he set aside these thoughts; he was walking closer to where Lovino sat and he didn't want to look distressed.

"Hey Lovi!" Antonio greeted and sat across the man.

"Uh, hi," Lovino replied, his eyes were fixated on his phone.

"Are exams over?"

"Yes, a week ago. I'm waiting for my grades," The Italian replied without lifting his head.

"So, um, are you free this weekend? We haven't hung out lately," Antonio asked. They had an odd-sort of friendship. For the past weeks, the two of them hung out on Fridays or weekends; sometimes with others (Feliciano and Ludwig), sometimes with themselves only.

"Oh, yeah, sure," Lovino was distracted with his reply. Antonio hummed and waited patiently for the other man's attention to refocus on _him_.

"So..." Antonio broke the silence between them after 30 minutes.

"I need a bottle of tequila tonight," Lovino abruptly said and left the cafeteria.

A bit confounded but Antonio acquiesced to the _demand_. He went to the supermarket, bought one bottle of tequila, rock salt, and lime. Aside from the liquor, he bought ingredients for dinner. Meat, chicken, potatoes, carrots, and the like. Oh, and there were also various chips. He sent a text to his friend so that he would be picked up. In no time, Lovino replied and Antonio was picked up.

"Why do you have so many plastics with you?" Lovino raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it's the end of the semester and we should end it with a bang!"

"By spending it in my house?"

"Yes... there's no place like home,"

Lovino laughed, "Damn right."

Antonio was thankful that his friend's mood has alleviated. He was used to Lovino's witty and sarcastic remarks but not when he was serious. There were certain occasions that Lovino was _too focused and serious_ such as earlier and when he helped him and Feliciano with their project. Antonio didn't know how to interact with _this Lovino_.

When they arrived at the Vargas house, Antonio brought the bags to the kitchen. The Spaniard busied himself with preparing dinner and their drink after dinner. While chopping garlic, Antonio was called out by Lovino. His host was busy at the telephone noting the voicemails left for his grandfather.

"What movie would you like to watch?" Lovino asked after he finished his task.

"Um, any old movies?" Antonio replied.

Antonio didn't hear a reply so he continued with his self-appointed chore. Halfway through his cooking, Lovino walked into the kitchen and brought with him five DVDs.

"I don't know your definition of old but I've got the original trilogy of Star Wars and 007 films,"

"Um, 007?" Antonio said unsurely. He wasn't a sci-fi fan, so James Bond films it is. Lovino then left and there was some shuffling in the living room.

It was 11 PM when Antonio was borderline drunk. After they finished the bottle of tequila and two 007 movies, Lovino wobbily walked into his room and came out with an unopened bottle of vodka. The duo weren't afraid to become messes since they were in the comfort of a house.

In the drunken stupor, Lovino started talking about himself. Antonio intently listened to _his beloved's_ story.

From what he could understand, Lovino's father was a married man (to Feliciano's mother) but he had a one night stand with Lovino's mother during one of his business trips. When Lovi's mother died, he was brought into the Vargas home. Enraged, Mrs. Vargas filed for a divorce and brought Feliciano with her. His grandfather admonished Mr. Vargas but he was kind to Lovino, for the first few months... before the young boy proved to be a troublesome lad. It was an authoritarian childhood with his grandfather. Lovino didn't like how his grandfather scolded him but he learned to tolerate the old man. Hell, the old man was more of a father than his biological father.

After the divorce, Mr. Vargas felt guilty and started taking projects from overseas. When he returns, he rarely stays at home and spends time with Feliciano in some exotic part of Europe.

"I hated the little brother who stole my father... but when I saw him for the first time, I couldn't really hate him," Lovino took a gulp of vodka. "In a weird turn of events, Feliciano decided to reconnect with me. The idiot went as far as go to the same university as me. My life's a fucking soap opera."

Antonio hugged Lovino before he confessed his feelings. It was now or never.

"Even so, I love you," It might pass for drunk talk but there is always truth in wine.

"What does it have to do with what I said?!" Lovino treid to move away from the Spaniard's grasp.

"Nothing... but, I love you. PERIOD. No caveats; etc," Antonio kissed Lovino's forehead before he softly placed his lips unto the Italian's.

"Then, aren't I a lucky bastard?" Lovino murmured before he drifted to sleep.

"No, we are lucky men," Antonio whispered to his sleeping lover. " By chance, we found each other, and it's beautiful."

* * *

 **To be continued**

 **A/N:** Thank you so much for waiting. It was one roller coaster of a semester but I pulled through. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much I enjoyed writing it. I kept Antonio's side under the wraps because he tells the later half of the story. Thank you for the reviews, alert and favorites. Have a great day!


	5. Resolution

**RESOLUTION**

Antonio was patient and meticulous. He took his sweet time in preparing Lovino. Lube on one, then two, then three fingers, in and out; when he was sure that Lovino was ready, he entered his lover. He groaned as he matched his rhythm with Lovino's hips. Their bodies entwined as their moans filled the empty room. As Antonio greeted the new day, he kissed his lover's lips. Lovino stirred from his sleep and Antonio couldn't help thinking how adorable his tomato was. Last night felt surreal; and it marked the beginning of their relationship as lovers.

It was eight AM already but the Spaniard didn't feel like going out of the bed; he feared that the spell binding him to Lovino would dispel. Ever so gentle, Antonio hugged Lovino; he wanted this peace between them to last a little longer.

" _Ugh,_ " His companion groaned. Antonio could only hope for such peace. Lovino was fiery, passionate, and everything else that didn't equate to peace. For all he was, Antonio loved him. He could go on and on about the little things that made him love Lovino Vargas. He was madly, head over heels for this man.

From then on, each day was brimming with happiness; Antonio looked forward to the mornings because he would send messages greeting his lover a good day; he looked forward to lunches because they ate together; he looked forward to the afternoons because they talked about how their day went. Then, he looks forward again for the start of the new day. His enthusiasm was often met with sarcasm from Lovino but Antonio felt this was a roundabout way of the Italian's appreciation and also hiding his embarrassment.

For the next seven months, the young men were in an adoration for each another. However, they kept their relationship a secret from everyone. Lovino was the one who _proposed_ for such arrangement, two weeks after their ardent evening.

"Unlike Feliciano who can get away with being gay, I can't Antonio, I can't! There's a damn good reason why I've kept my homosexuality a secret. Bastard, I will be disowned by my family and I don't want to be disowned," Lovino clenched his teeth as he ended his sentence. Antonio noticed Lovino was filled with fear and anxiety.

"I understand _love_ , I understand," He reassured _his tomato_. He shared to Lovino how his situation was similar. "I grew up in a conservative family and they are expecting me to marry a lovely girl, have kids, live in a nice neighborhood, etc. etc."

"I can give you everything except the part of being a girl," Lovino sardonically replied, to which Antonio kissed Lovino's forehead that in turn, earned him a painful jab. Despite the pain, seeing his tomato blushing was worth it.

Since they became a couple, their sleepovers didn't involve much sleeping. Neither of them could get enough of each other. Their bodies were in a state of need; sometimes Antonio leads, other times, Lovino was the assertive one. They were almost caught by Grandfather Vargas.

Unexpectedly, the old man went home ahead of schedule. Lovino and Antonio were cuddling each other in Lovino's cramped bed when the Italian pushed Antonio off the bed and ushered him to go to the upper bunk and haphazardly covered his body with the blanket. Lovino kicked off their clothes under his bed and then rolled over his bed, with a sheet covering his whole body. Both men were trying to remain calm as Grandpa Vargas opened the door. They pretended to sleep and luckily, they weren't bothered. If they were, it would be difficult to explain why they were both naked during the dead of the night.

Breakfast the following day was awkward after Lovino introduced Antonio as a friend sleeping over. The grandson was scolded, a bit, for not informing his grandfather they had a guest. He would have bought more delicacies. Antonio defended Lovino that he was imposing on the family and added that he was grateful for the generosity of being housed. When all niceties were said, Antonio and Grandpa Vargas were fast friends. The two men shared a passion for gardening and the old man was more than happy to share tips. The elder Vargas offered Antonio to feel free visiting again.

Lovino rolled his eyes and Antonio caught a glimpse of his lover's mischievous grin. He knew what was running through Lovino's mind, _"This bastard has been coming here for so long already; no need to invite him old man."_

When Antonio shared this to Lovino, the other man blushed but defensively replied that Antonio was putting words into his mouth.

Despite the secrecy of Antonio and Lovino's realtionship, Feliciano somehow knew about them. Antonio was a bit unnerved but he was able to move past it. Somehow, a heavy burden was lifted from his chest. At least they didn't have to tip toe on eggshells when Feliciano was around. This cemented further his friendship with Feliciano. The two became good friends and thus, the trio hung with each other more often, at Antonio's insistence. For the Spaniard, it would seem less suspicious rather than only him and Lovino hanging out in the Vargas home.

During one of their boys' night out, Antonio asked Feliciano how the younger brother knew about their relationship.

"It was very obvious that Lovino really liked you," Feliciano cheerfully shares. "From the first time you two met, I was sure that he was having butterflies in his stomach."

"That's enough gossiping about me," Lovino interjected. The older Vargas brought with him a bowl of popcorn, and another bowl with a mix of fries and chips.

"He isn't even denying it," Feliciano laughed, as well as Antonio.

"Shut up you two!" Lovino angrily said while loading the BD disc into the player.

It was the last day of classes before winter break and the trio decided to spend it in the Vargas house. Antonio insisted that it should be Lovi's place since he and Feliciano didn't have enough room space to accommodate three grown men. Also, only Lovino had a kitchen and secret stash of liquor. It was the perfect place for the three of them who enjoyed cooking and loved coupling their meals with good wine. More than once, Grandfather Vargas came home with a messy living room and empty wine bottles but the elderly man dismissed their inebriation as follies of youth.

"I was once like you kids," The oldest Vargas shared during breakfast. "Who am I to judge?" He would say with a boisterous laugh.

The imposing impression of Antonio towards Mr. Vargas dissipated the more time he spent with him. Also, he felt that he was becoming part of the family. However, he knew that he can never truly be a part; he was hiding a terrible lie that can ruin Lovino's relationship with his grandfather.

Fast forward to seven months later into their relationship. It was a month after graduation. Lovino was busy for his internship while Antonio was busy for his upcoming licensure examination. They were spending less time with each other; much lesser than the time during their finals. Lovino was snappier than the usual and Antonio just lost the patience to deal with the childish tantrums.

"Fine then bastard, let's give each other all the fucking space we need!" Lovino exclaimed and walked away.

Antonio was shocked; the words didn't register in his mind. By the time he reacted, Lovino sped away with that fancy car of his. The anger he had earlier dissipated and was replaced with panic. He tried calling Lovino but it wouldn't connect. So, he sent a one-word message: _Sorry_.

Two weeks later, the two haven't reconciled with each other. Everyday, he types out messages but he never sends them. His inbox was full of drafts, unsent messages for Lovino. There messages range from simple greetings to long winded speeches on his regrets.

Without any communication from each other, Antonio felt dejected. His heart ached every time he walked to and fro his dorm to the campus. At one point in their relationship, they had grandiose plans for their future. However, they hardly talk to each other these days. He deeply missed Lovino. Antonio took the courage and stopped sulking. He called Feliciano and asked about Lovino's whereabouts.

"Huh? Did you two have a fight?" Feliciano queried. "Hm, Lovino, well, he left for Singapore three days ago. He got into a two-year internship program with this firm-"

The following explanation made Antonio cry. He didn't damn care if he was in a public place; anyone who felt sad had the right to cry. _Oh God, is this my punishment?_

On the other hand, Lovino Vargas didn't think twice in accepting the internship in Singapore. He only packed the bare necessities; he didn't need to bring a lot. He could buy whatever he needed once he arrives. He would be living the next two years faraway.

"Try to come home for Christmas and New Year," His old man said in the airport.

"I'll try," Lovino, for the first time, felt affectionate for the old man and hugged him before going to the departure area.

While waiting for the plane to take off, his last moments with Antonio reeled through his mind.

"I didn't care who you hung out with!" Lovino shouted. "I'm not mad! I am furious! You said that I could trust you-"

"I did; you're just paranoid," Antonio reasoned with him.

"Am I? Last time I checked, you were fucking with Bella," The words were laced with scorn.

"Don't be mean Lovino," Antonio appealed to whatever kindness was left inside Lovino.

"Shut up, damned bastard. We are through; God, why did we ever get together?!" Lovino felt slighted that Antonio was defending his actions.

Lovino didn't spare any glances when he turned his back. Thankfully, he brought his Maserati, it was heavily tinted. He didn't have to worry about crying while driving. He considered himself a strong man but in times of sadness and frustration, he cries. By the time he arrived in his house, his eyes were puffy.

He didn't bother eating dinner or changing his clothes until the next day. When he calmed down, he sifted through his e-mail and he felt a wave of relief when he got accepted in a firm overseas. Lovino only told his immediate family about the news and his decision to leave. Then he left.

A month later, when Lovino's emotions calmed down, he opened his Facebook account and his eyes were glued at a particular photo Feliciano uploaded. Gil and Liz got engaged while Antonio and Bella were in a relationship.

 _Lovino's younger brother Feliciano was in a relationship with Ludwig, whose older brother, Gilbert was engaged to Elizaveta, bestfriend of Bella, girlfriend of Antonio, Lovino's ex-lover. A full circle of their relationship._

A month ago, Lovino would have lashed at his screen. However, the secret love story with Antonio was a brief stint in his life. The world had much to offer him than the _cheating and lying bastard_. All they had was a paradise shrouded with darkness; and the darkness swallowed the paradise.

Seven years later, Antonio Fernandez Carriedo was an elementary school teacher while his wife Bella took care of their newborn daughter. The couple moved to Belgium so that Bella could effectively mange the family business. Through the up and downs of his life, he didn't expect he would be blessed with so much happiness.

Sometimes, thoughts of his ex-lover would invade his mind. Their break-up was horrible but Antonio felt that Lovino didn't have any right to get mad at him! After all, he was the one who broke their relationship. The Italian said they were in a cool-off, he took it as a sign of breaking-up. Bella returned and they realized they still had affections for each other. So, they rekindled their relationship. Antonio told Bella about his relationship with Lovino and the woman patiently listened. She told Antonio that she was in no position to judge or get mad because they weren't in a relationship then. She was thankful though that she knew who the other person was. Antonio was astounded; even if he broke up with Lovino, their social circles were deeply connected.

" _We were classmates for one semester... I can't recall which subject. Anyway, he's a good person; he's quite fun to tease with,_ " Bella giggled. " _I remembered how he was flustered when we were paired for our final project... he often stammered with his speech. He was such an innocent person._ "

Antonio couldn't picture the _Lovino_ Bella was describing. Regardless, he was happy that Bella accepted him despite his dalliances.

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you so much for reading this! Also, many thanks to those who took the time to review, favorite and alert this story.


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